Important
by Princess Falling Star
Summary: A teenage Jinta finds himself worrying when he sees his childhood friend expanding her horizons. She may leave him to live her life and he'd be forgotten. But he doesn't care of course.


Jinta eyed her somewhat nervously as they walked to school. He had been growing a human pace and Ururu, hitting some form of growth spurt, seemed to age appropriately three years ahead of him. He was fourteen she looked about seventeen. Kisuke being the teasing bastard he was enrolled Ururu in school for the first time in years. She was excited of course but the minute she walked through the gates she was an instant hit with the boys, and him, still being in middle school wasn't there to protect her.

In short, it pissed him off.

"Oi! Tsumugiya-san!" Crap, it was Takamaru. He was Ururu's friend, much to Jinta's displeasure. He was one of her many fan boys but he was least somewhat respectful and kept her safe. This older guy that was senior protected her in his place. Not only was he "older" but he was the head of the karate club and top of his class, not to mention the class rep, and rich. That guy pissed him off the most.

"Hey, glad I caught you Tsumugiya-san." He smiles and tried to grab her and, Ururu saw it as a friendly gesture, not romantic. But then one glare from Jinta stopped him in his tracks.

"Hey, Hanakari-san, you're on the baseball team aren't you." The guy treated him like Ururu's kid brother. He tried to ruffle his hair but Jinta slapped his hand away.

"Dumbass, why else would I be carrying a bat."

"Jinta-kun, don't be rude." Ururu whispered.

"Well, we'll be late if we don't hurry." he grabbed Ururu's hand and pulled in the direction of the high school. The jackass was trying to get rid of him. Ururu turned to look at him and waved goodbye. Dammit, he liked to escort her to school and beat up all the dumbasses that got it into their head that they could win her heart by groping her.

When he came to the meeting spot after practice and found she wasn't sitting on the bench patiently waiting like she always was. He stared in puzzlement. Ururu came running from around the corner.

"Gomen ne Jinta-kun." To his horror her clothes and hair were mussed. Her shirt was half-open showing off her adequate chest and ribbon was missing. She was sweating.

"What the hell?!" he shouted.

"What, I know I'm a little late, I guess I just lost track of time." his eyes widened.

"I mean Takamaru-san was so precise, I guess I got lost in his movements." His jaw dropped.

"So yes I joined the karate club." A wave of relief washed over him. That's what it was.

"Takamaru convinced me to join when he saw me on the balance beam in gym." Damn pervert. He growled spying on her in those skimpy gym shorts.

"Come on Jinta-kun." He followed her home.

The next few months she began spending more and more time with Takamaru. She became the prodigy of the karate club. She beat every challenger that came her way with ease. No surprise to Jinta seeing as she took on hollows without breaking a sweat. Still she always met him at their spot where the roads of the two schools diverged.

Still despite her dedication to her new friends she was always around to clean up the house and cook the meals. She still made his lunch every morning, a meal cooked with love. She would always pat his head before she left with the guy that was practically her boyfriend.

Slowly but surely she began spending time outside of the shoten for more than just school and errands. She began spending time with other girls in the class. She seemed to be forgetting about the young boy who owed her his life.

One day he didn't have baseball practice so he went to watch Ururu at karate practice. He walks into the room and she's I the middle of a display. Her moves are so graceful it steals his breath. Her flexibility and fluid movements are the damn most gorgeous thing he had ever seen. Everyone else in the room is in a similar state of awe. Takamaru watched, admiring her beauty. With one final kick she graceful ends her display. Everyone claps and Takamaru came up and patted her on the shoulder.

"Well done." His arm slipped down to her waist, she didn't seem to understand the intimacy of the gesture. She had been locked away from the world most of her life. So when he put his face close to hers, probably to ask for her presence in a quiet area Jinta decided to step in.

"Oi! Cockroach, you ain't half bad at karate." She saw him and her face brightened. She broke away from the Captain's grip, much to his displeasure. She hurried to Jinta and greeted him.

"Jinta-kun, what are you doing here?"

"I got out of baseball practice and decided to see what you've been wasting your time on." She smiled uncomfortably. Takamaru had a different approach.

"You think she's wasting her time here, she the best I've ever seen!"

"It's taking away from the time she spends on housework, like cooking and cleaning."

"What do you mean?"

"We live together she takes care of most of the housework."

"You live with her, is this true Tsumugiya-san." He turned to her frantically.

"Yes, we're both foster children." She said this with her usual wilting smile, completely unaware the intimacy of sharing a home.

"Oh." He seemed relieved.

"So are you two like brother and sister?"

"I suppose that' an accurate description of our relationship." Jinta grimaced, yeah that's all he was to her, some kid brother. He turned and stormed away.

"Jinta-kun."

"See ya at home Cockroach." her eyes grew soft and teary.

"Tsumugiya –san."

Later Jinta was at home practically ripping out his hair over guilt. He had made her sad, he was such a freaking jerk. She was late now. He'd probably made her cry. God now she wouldn't even be mad, she would just have that pitiful look on her face. She would sulk around him and avoid him as much as possible.

He heard her voice outside. Well this time he would have to suck up his pride and apologize. Though to be honest he wasn't exactly sure of what he did. He opened the door to the shop and walked in. Ururu was standing there taking off her shoes. Takamaru was with her. They hadn't noticed his presence. He grabbed her chin and kissed her.

Jinta felt his heart stop. He kissed her and Ururu seemed to be in too much shock to respond. Slowly but surely he saw her close her eyes and enjoy the kiss. They stood still for several moments then Takamaru broke away a profuse blush gracing his cheeks. He rubbed the back of his head.

"Well might as well come out and say it. Will you go out with me Ururu-chan?" Jinta didn't stay to watch.

He could see the years laid out ahead. Ururu would go out with this guy, probably sleep with him. Then he would propose to her when she graduated. They would get married and have tons of god damned perfect children and he would be forgotten by her. She would never give him a second glance.

The next day he left early for once and hurried without her. By the time school ended it was pouring, there was no practice again that day. Of course in his rush he had forgotten an umbrella. He decided to wait for her one last time. The coach was still sick so he was still off practice. He walked to the meeting spot and waited in the rain. He felt something take over, his eyes blurred. He was crying, he couldn't be sad, was he …..scared? Was he scared that Ururu would leave his life for good? No, he wasn't scared of anything. After twenty minutes he left to go by himself when he heard some. It sounded like shoes slapping against the wet pavement.

"Jinta-kun!" He turned to see Ururu. She was damp from running in the rain. She had an umbrella clutched in one hand. He stopped and stared.

"I'm sorry; I forgot you didn't have practice today." She immediately held the umbrella over him and pulled a handkerchief from her jacket pocket. She mopped up his face, ad he felt it heat up. Her eyes looked worried.

"Your face is flushing do you have a fever?" She pressed her lips to his forehead.

"Oh dear I should get you home."

"What about your boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend?"

"Taka, or whatever the hell his name is."

"He's not my boyfriend."

"B-b-but he kissed you!"

"How did you know that?"

"Never mind stupid girl, you seemed to enjoy it!" Her eyes flit downward.

"I did, I'd never been kissed before, it was nice. I could taste his affection. I was happy to be kissed while still adolescent." She'd never been kissed, wow.

"It made me feel like normal girl, for a moment."

"I'm surprised you didn't just run off with him."

"Why would I do that, that would mean I would have to leave you."

"Leave me." Now he was confused. She smiled and took his hand.

"You're the most important person to me." He was unable to speak for a few moments. He was the most important thing to her. She wasn't the type to lie or exaggerate. She was always honest.

"Come on, let's go home before you get a cold." He watched as she laced her fingers with his. She smiled her best smile. They walked home together holding hands under her umbrella.

"Stupid girl." He muttered under his breath, even though he knew he didn't mean it. If he was her most important person he would prove himself worthy of it, forever.

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Princess: I firmly believe that Jinta is the most important person to Ururu. I also know that if she grows up she'll be pretty enough to have a fan club. This was inspired by a fic on livejournal that portrayed Jinta as over protective teenage friend. I loved and thus this was inspired.


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